Antigua and Barbuda

The FSRC Gaming Division awards two types of licenses: interactive gaming and interactive wagering. An interactive betting license allows the license holder to operate interactive betting and interactive wagering and is synonymous with a wagering license.

Applications for interactive gaming or interactive wagering licenses must be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of USD $15,000 to cover the costs and expenses of conducting the investigation. If the investigation costs are over USD $15,000, the Commission will notify the applicant in writing regarding any additional nonrefundable monies that are required.

The annual license fee for each year’s interactive gaming license is USD $100,000 and $75,000 for each year’s interactive wagering license. The fee is payable to the Commission before any license will be issued.

Antigua and Barbuda is known for its dispute with the United States over their Internet gambling policies. Antigua argued that the US violated the General Agreement on Trade Services (GATS). In 2004, the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled in favor of Antigua and the United States was given a year to comply with GATS. In 2007, the US was still not compliant and Antigua won the WTO ruling and a USD $3.4 million claim. An agreement was still not reached after the final meeting in January 2009 between Antigua’s Finance Minister and US Trade Relations representatives.

Under Regulations 148(d) and (e) of the Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering Regulations 2007 (IGIWR), which were implemented to help detect money laundering activity and uncover the proceeds of crime, Internet gambling companies must submit a confidential Significant Payment Report to the Supervisory Authority if any payments are made exceeding USD $25,000 within 48 hours of the payment. Penalties exist for failure to comply with the regulatory requirement.

Internet gambling companies must submit a confidential Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) to the Supervisory Authority to report fraudulent or suspicious transactions which may involve money laundering or an activity similar to money laundering per Regulation 223 of the IGIWR. Financial institutions (including employees, staff, directors, owners, or other authorized representatives) shall not notify another person that an SAR has been filed. Failure to comply with this obligation is a criminal offense.

In June 2010 the Kahnawake Gaming Commission and the FSRC for Antigua and Barbuda signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that establishes an innovative regulatory relationship between the two commissions. The 2010 MOU enables a process under which an operator that holds a "Primary License" in either jurisdiction can apply to the other for an "Inter-Jurisdictional Authorization." The holder of the Inter-Jurisdictional Authorization is entitled to be hosted in either jurisdiction. The regulatory body that issues the Primary License will regulate and supervise all of the operator’s activities within both jurisdictions.